


Fight Night

by FandomverseOfAnthony



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Fallout OCs, Fallout Original Characters, Original Character Fallout, Original Character(s), ghoul ocs - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-27 22:56:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10818483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomverseOfAnthony/pseuds/FandomverseOfAnthony
Summary: Anthony and Alaelys enjoy their time at the Combat Zone, after doing some repair work for Tommy Lonegan. Anthony decides to test his luck and enters an ongoing tournament. His opponent is the fearsome Josiah, but does he have what it takes to end up the victor?





	Fight Night

Several months had passed since Arin cleaned house and left with Cait, per Tommy's request. The Combat Zone was still poorly lit, save for the spotlights pointed at the arena, and a few hanging lights at the bars. The thick stench of sweat, booze, and vomit lingered in the air. Luckily for Tommy, most of his patrons were either used to it, or were too wrapped up in the action to notice.

The Raider's body hit the floor with a resounding thud, prompting the patrons of the Combat Zone to jump to their feet in excitement. Checking on the fighter, Tommy Lonegan shook his head and laughed, confirming what the crowd already knew. A mic lowered from the ceiling, stopping right in front of him.

“We have ourselves a winner, ladies and gentleman! The 'Unstoppable Josiaaaaaaaaah'!” Tommy declared, with great enthusiasm. He grinned from ear to ear, as everyone burst into a joyous uproar. “There's only a few fights left until the final face-off between the tournament winner and the arena champion himself - THE FLESH!!!” He began to pace around the arena while speaking, gesturing in an overly dramatic fashion. Still clutching the mic close to his face, he questioned, “Will our challenger here continue to rise to the top, or will someone else knock him flat on his ass, like our dear friend over there...” he chuckled, pointing to the unconscious fighter that was in the process of being removed from the area.

Anthony was among the crowd, cheering for Josiah and his victory. Although not the classiest place to take Alaelys, she enjoyed accompanying him on the rare occasion that he would visit. Usually it was due to a maintenance call, but he had a habit of hanging around afterward, to relish in fighters beating the living hell out of one another. Although neither Anthony nor Alaelys were too fond of needless violence, it was an educational experience, studying the various fighting styles and techniques that were on display.

Tommy's eyes scanned the area, taking stock of everyone currently in attendance. A roguish smile crept across his lips, as a unique opportunity presented itself. “My my my, what a crowd we have here tonight! Seeing as how you've all been so wonderful, how about we make things a little more... interesting?” His comment caused Josiah's eyes to narrow.

“I see plenty of fearsome faces out there tonight! Step right up! For only 250 caps, one lucky person will take on Josiah, for a chance to take his place in the tournament!” Tommy declared, much to Josiah's dismay.

Clenching his fists, Josiah protested in a hushed but frustrated tone, “What the hell is this? Not part of the agreement!”

Turning his head slightly back, one eye trained on Josiah, Tommy assured low enough for Josiah to hear him, “Easy there, tough guy. I'm more than sure you'll squash whoever is dumb enough to step in that arena with you. Easy 250 caps for me and, since I'm such a nice guy, I'll even give you a cut. How does that sound?”

Some of the Josiah's ire melted away, at the thought of more caps. After all, Tommy was right. Any challenger's chances at defeating him were slim, at best. Cracking his knuckles, Josiah was interested in seeing who would step forward.

Unfortunately for Tommy, nobody was biting. Unsure if the entry price was too high, or if nobody was willing to confront Josiah, Tommy let out an exasperated sigh. “Really? Is no one brave enough to fight? By beating him, you've already taken a huge leap towards facing The Flesh, for the 10,000 cap grand prize AND bragging rights!”

Anthony looked around, feeling just as disappointed as Tommy. Consulting his pack, he checked to see how many caps he had available, while doing some math in his head. Combining the caps he had, leaving Goodneighbor, with the three jobs he worked, before taking care of a generator for Tommy, he figured it was well over the 250 cap entrance fee. As Anthony rose from his seat, bag of caps in hand, Alaelys caught his arm. Her nose crinkled as her lips formed a pout. She worried about him, and he knew it.

Giving Alaelys his usual goofy crooked smile, he joked, “Nothing to worry about, beautiful. This will be a nice exercise, to work off some of the rust. It's been too long since I've fought hand-to-hand, and you know as well as I do that you gotta stay sharp out in the Wasteland.” 

Alaelys released her grip from his arm as he slowly made his way to Tommy. Turning for a moment to face her, he walked backwards, shrugging as he continued, “Can't be too hard, right? Like riding a bike! Besides, this won't be the worst ass-whooping I've taken, if I do lose.”

All eyes were on Anthony, as he stood before Tommy, handing over the caps. Some laughed, while others chattered amongst themselves. He was used to being underestimated though, as it made victory that much sweeter. An anxious shiver ran down his spine, his usual uneasiness from being in front of a large gathering of people outweighed by his eagerness to rise to challenge.

Tommy took the bag of caps, raising a brow at Anthony, “You sure about this kid? Don't want Josiah here leaving you too broken to fix anything for me in the near future...”

Anthony tilted his head, shooting Tommy an annoyed glance. Tommy huffed, as he allowed Anthony to step into the middle of the arena. Walking past him to leave, Tommy murmured, “Just looking out for you... Nothing personal.”

Standing in front of the cage, Tommy cleared his throat, “And there we have it folks! The 'Pride of Vault 430', Anthony, versus the 'Unstoppable Josiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah'! Be sure to place your bets now, because this fight's seconds from starting!”

Anthony hopped in place for a moment, trying to get nice and limber. He could tell that Josiah was sizing him up, as the ghoul remained stoic, arms folded across their chest. One would think that Anthony had the advantage, after watching a couple of Josiah's fights and studying his methods, but things were rarely that simple. He could tell that Josiah was very experienced, and likely not showing all that he was capable of, as it wasn't needed up until this point. He just hoped that his own movements and style weren't easily read, otherwise the fight would end just as quickly as the Raider before him.

With a playful grin, Anthony raised his fists, getting into stance, announcing, “Ready when you-”

WHAM

Anthony reeled back, nearly knocked off of his feat by the surprisingly quick rising knee from Josiah, that connected squarely on his jaw. The blow left him slightly dazed, which was more than dangerous. To his surprise, however, Josiah had already taken a step back, in a position to strike again at a moment's notice.

“Less talk. Final warning. Next time I won't ease up...” Josiah threatened, giving Anthony a moment to regain composure. Taking advantage of the situation further would have ended the fight too quickly, and wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. He wanted to see if there was more to this new challenger, before putting him down.

Shaking away the feeling of dizziness, Anthony shifted back into stance. He turned his head to the side for a moment, spitting out a bit of blood that pooled in his mouth. He knew that his opponent could strike hard, but didn't realize that there was even more force behind it than what could be seen. The fight may not have started out exactly as planned, but there was still plenty of time to turn things around.

Anthony charged at Josiah, unleashing a flurry of blows, mostly comprised of hook and jabs, alternating between aiming for his head and body. Much to Anthony's surprise, Josiah was able to deflect and dodge each attack, countering with a sweep that sent him crashing into the ground. Josiah attempted to follow up on the opening with a stomp, but Anthony managed to roll away just in time.

As Anthony rose to his feet, Josiah was already upon him, throwing a few elbows, followed by another rising knee. A few strikes slammed into his chest and side, but he was able to endure the pain long enough to catch the oncoming knee, countering with a devastating headbutt to Josiah's face. It was a double-edged sword, but it was the only move he could make at the time, and was sure it hurt Josiah more than it hurt him.

Heart beating at an accelerated rate, Anthony felt the adrenaline from the fight coursing through his veins. He was going to need it, to help dull the pain, as each of Josiah's attacks felt like he was getting hit by a freight train, and his head was already throbbing. He knew he couldn't match his power, but from watching Josiah's previous bouts, Anthony knew he could possibly outlast him. The most concerning aspect of Josiah wasn't his power though, but his speed.

Josiah staggered from the impact of the headbutt, catching him slightly off-guard. The attack caused considerable pain, but worse had been inflicted on him in the past. A wave of anger and confusion washed over him, as he stabilized his footing. He shouldn't have underestimated the vault dweller, and was made to pay for doing so.

The two circled the arena, eyes locked on one another, waiting for one of them to make a move. Josiah took the initiative, with Anthony following suit. Trading blows, Anthony was barely able to keep up Josiah's movements. A few of his punches would connect, while some of the ghoul's elbows would land on their target as well. The furious exchange between the two had the crowd at the edge of their seats. This is what they paid to see.

Anthony attempted to change things up, going for a quick kick, only for Josiah to catch his leg. He cursed himself for being so forgetful, remembering that Josiah excelled at taking advantage of such an attack. A smug look appeared on Josiah's face as he raised his below. With only a split second to react, Anthony jumped up and kicked off of him with his other foot. It wasn't meant to deal much damage, but to break the fighter's grip and create some distance between them instead.

As Anthony slide across the floor, tumbling back to his feet, Josiah scoffed, “Sloppy.”

Anthony smirked in response, “What happened to the whole 'less talk' thing, huh? I know you're still holding back. Why don't you come at me with all you got!”

“Give me reason...” Josiah responded coldly, rushing towards Anthony again.

Having seen this play out before, Anthony had an idea of what was coming next. It appeared that Josiah had finally grown dull with the fight, and was looking to end it. He ran towards the ghoul, intending to meet him head-on. 

Josiah soared through the air, preparing to strike with a crushing cross elbow, only for Anthony to duck just enough for it to miss, catching Josiah with a running tackle instead. Slammed into the floor, Josiah tried to wriggle out from underneath Anthony, but his opponent already firmly secured their position.

Sitting on Josiah's chest, momentarily pinning him to the ground, Anthony started to unload with one straight punch after another, with a random hook to try and break his opponent's defenses, when they were getting too tight. The Combat Zone was in shock, not expecting such a turn of events. Divided between cheers and boos, they watched Anthony's onslaught with great interest.

Josiah bobbed and weaved the best he could, doing everything in his power to keep him out of harms way. Despite his best efforts, many of Anthony's punches were landing, nailing him in the face and chest. Blood started to gush from the hole where his nose used to be. He knew that he had to do something quick, or the fight was over. “Your lady-friend is pretty. Will visit her later.” he barked, while still defending himself.

Halting for a moment, Josiah's words struck a cord. He felt a little heated, but kept his cool, realizing what Josiah was trying to pull. “Dirty pool old-”

BAM

Josiah sucker-punched Anthony with a mean right hook, the force of it throwing the vault dweller clean off of him. He was a bit sluggish in getting back on his feet, while Anthony was still sprawled out on the floor. Fatigue was starting to set in. Wiping the blood from his face, it was time to get serious. 

Josiah slowly approached Anthony, who was struggling to get back up. Grabbing him by the throat, the ghoul forcefully pulled his opponent up, slamming him against the cage. Some of the crowd turned their head, as the sickening thwack of Josiah's fists repeatedly hitting Anthony in the face became too much to handle. It was brutal, showing a more intense side of Josiah that few had seen before. 

Blood trickled from the Anthony's nose and mouth, as his right eye started to swell. Remaining conscious was becoming increasingly difficult by the second. A familiar voice screamed from the crowd. “Stop it! You're killing him!!!” they protested. With his one could eye, he could make out who was calling out to Josiah. It was Alaelys, with tears streaming down the sides of her cheeks.

Josiah stopped, not because of Alaelys pleading, but because the fight was over. The vault dweller was clearly bloody and beaten, and likely about to pass out. Loosening his grip from Anthony's throat, Josiah watched as Anthony's body slumped to the floor, falling face first into the ground.

Everyone in attendance was still recovering from the gruesome scene, including Tommy, but slowly began to clap and clamor on, as Josiah roared in triumph. It was a hard fought battle, and the stranger put up a much greater fight than previously expected of him. Josiah respected their will and determination, but it wasn't enough to win them the fight.

Tommy was about to step into the arena and call the fight, when he noticed Anthony place a hand on the floor, pushing himself up. Nobody was more shocked than Josiah, as Anthony took a knee, not wanting to give up. “Can't be serious...” he muttered under his breath. It was admirable that his opponent wanted to continue, but now it was just becoming annoying. “STAY DOWN!” he bellowed.

Anthony was running on fumes, racing against borrowed time. He would need to make his next move count, as there would be nothing left to give afterward. Seeing double, he watched as Josiah rushed toward him, leaping into the air to finish it all with a deadly falling spear elbow. Collecting every bit of strength left in his body, Anthony put all of his might into one final punch to Josiah's solar plexus, as the ghoul's elbow crashed into his skull.

Josiah doubled over, the wind knocked completely out of him. He desperately gasped for air, as the pain was excruciating. Both Anthony and Josiah were laid out, neither looking to get back up anytime soon. He looked over to the vault dweller, only to see a content smile on their face. Josiah would laugh if he could.

Tommy's eyes went wide, as he wasn't exactly sure what to do. Stepping into the middle of the ring, the mic lowered once again. He stammered as he took control of it, “W-We'll, I guess we have ourselves a tie, as neither fighters can get back on their feet! Anyone who placed any bets on the outcome will be refunded...” Grumbling to himself he added, “...and since Anthony technically did not win this match, defeating his opponent, Josiah is still keeping his position within the tournament!”

The Combat Zone was hysterical, as the fight between Anthony and Josiah was the most intense bout that they've seen in quite a while, with an ending that nobody saw coming. Additional personnel entered the cage, to assist Anthony and Josiah. As both fighters were about to be escorted out, Josiah motioned for them to stop for a moment. Staring at Anthony for a moment, he spoke, “Not bad...”

Anthony gave Josiah a thumbs-up, as the two made their way back out to the crowd. Countless people surrounded Josiah, patting him on the back and showering him with attention, while only a few people approached Anthony to tell him what a good fight it was. Alaelys stood before him, a less than pleased look on her face. She slapped him in the face. “Don't you ever do something so stupid and reckless like that again!” she exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes.

Although it wasn't a fight to the death, nor as bad as some of the situations both had found themselves in, it was still hard for Alaelys to see Anthony go through such punishment. She was glad that he was still breathing, despite being a little worse for ware. She pressed her lips hard against his, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. She relieved the other person from supporting Anthony, and the two headed over to the bar to relax, and get him some ice.


End file.
